Foldable shelf



y 13, 1948- J.L. P'OZUN ET AL 2,445,082

.FOLDABLE SHELF Filed Se 1946 aw, L RWJ'ZZZI Patented July 13, 1948 UNITED PATliN'l' DEFIC FOLDABLE SHELF John L. Pozun and Le Roy Houghton, Johnstown, Pa., assignors of one-third to Howard C. Faust, J ohnstown, Pa.

Application September 9, 1946, Serial No. 695,650

1 Claim. 1

Our invention relates to improvements in combined clothes hanger supports and shelves for attachment to a wall, door, or the like.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a combined clothes hanger support and shelf of simple form and inexpensive construction adapted for easy attachment to a wall, or the like, and which is foldable substantially flat against the wall with the shelf hiding the clothes hanger support and forming a hanging panel adapted for use for ornamental purposes.

To the accomplishment of the above, and subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of our invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, set forth in detail in the succeeding description and defined in claim appended hereto.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of our improved clothes hanger support and shelf unfolded.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed view in vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a view in end elevation of the combined clothes hanger support and shelf folded.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, our improved clothes hanger support and shelf, as shown therein, comprises, as the basic element thereof, a T-shaped bar I of any suitable material provided at the ends and in the vertical center of the same, with screw holes 2 by means of which, and screws 3, said bar I is adapted to be fastened to a wall 4, or the like, to provide a vertical stem 5 on said bar. The bar I is of right angled cross-section with an upper edge, forwardly projecting flange B thereon, for a purpose presently apparent.

A shelf panel 1, wider than the over-all height of the bar I is hinged at its rear edge to the front edge of the flange 6, as at 8, to swing vertically thereon into horizontal unfolded position, or vertical, pendant, folded position.

A U-shaped frame 9 of right angled form and rod material is pivotally mounted at upper and lower rear ends thereon on the bar I in the vertical center of said bar to be swung sidewise into folded position parallel with the bar I, or, into unfolded forwardly extending position on said bar, said frame when unfolded, supporting the shelf panel I in horizontal unfolded position.

The pivotal mounting for the frame 9 comprises a pair of upper and lower, forwardly projecting apertured ears Ill, ll formed on the bar l in the vertical center of the same, one on the lower end of the stem 5, a right angled vertical trunnion I2 on the lower end of the frame 9 extending through the lower ear H, and a right angled upper end trunnion l3 on the frame 9 extending downwardly through the upper ear l0 and terminating below said ear in a hook l4 turned laterally of said frame.

A notched keeper IS on the bottom of the shelf panel I straddles the top of the frame 9, when said frame is unfolded, and yieldingly retains said frame in unfolded position.

As seen, the frame 9, as shown in Figure 1, when unfolded, supports the shelf panel 1 in unfolded position to hold articles, such as hats l6 and provides a lower rod l1 upon which a. large number of coat hangers [8, with garments thereon, may be suspended within convenient reach. Conversely, when the frame 9 is folded, as shown in Figure 4, and the shelf panel I also folded, the frame 9 is located behind the shelf panel 1 and hidden from view thereby, and the hook H extends forwardly and may be utilized for supporting a number of empty coat hangers thereon also hidden from view by the shelf panel I. The top of the shelf panel 1, when folded, presents a flat surface which may be ornamented, for instance by providing a mirror surface, not shown, thereon, or advertisting matter, not shown, may be provided on said surface, if desired.

The advantages of using the described invention in the home, restaurants, barber shops, and the like, will be obvious.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to impart a clear understanding of our invention without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of, modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What we claim is:

In a device of the class described, a T-shaped bracket bar adapted to be attached to a wall and including a longitudinal upper edge flange extending forwardly therefrom, said bar having a central depending stem, a U-shaped frame having ends hingedly connected to said bar in the vertical center of said stem with one end hinged to the lower end of the stem, said frame being swingable into forwardly extended unfolded position and into folded position parallel with said bar, a shelf panel hinged to said flange to extend along the same and be folded downwardly from horizontal position in front of the folded 3 frame in forwardly offset relation thereto to hide the same and obviate interference with the frame when folded, said frame when unfolded supporting said panel in horizontal position, and a keeper on said panel for engaging said frame to maintain the same unfolded.

JOHN L. POZUN.

LE ROY HQUGHTON.

I REFERENCES CITED file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Nagele Dec. 25, 1883 Holmes May 19, 1885 Leach Mar. 19, 1918 Neal Sept. 1, 1931 1 McEwing 'Dec. 13, 1932 Jones Aug. 29, 1939 1 The following references are of record in the 

